DaemonGPF
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/22/08
Posts: 1457
Loc: New Mexico
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I know it's a little early for this, but just curious if anyone on here goes to this event? I plan to attend this year. I make an annual trip through White Sands and Carlsbad every year and always miss this event. Yet when I am outside at night down there, I have to say it is always the cleanest, clearest skies I've ever seen in my life. It's a great place for some great AP opportunities. Anyway, here's the links for those of you who don't know about it:
White Sands Site
Alamogordo Astronomy Club
Oh, and for those of you unfamiliar with the area, Holoman AFB is next door and that is where the F-117 Stealths are stationed. Go during the daytime and you're likely to snap some shots of them taking off and landing from the dunes.
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-Josh
*Orion Starblast Imaging 150mm OTA
*Orion Starblast Imaging 114mm OTA
*Meade 50mm AR short tube OTA
*Meade DSI Pro IIc
*Orion Starshoot DSCI
*CG5 mount
http://cleardarksky.com/c/AlbuqNMkey.html
My Messier Project Gallery
Edited by ~Steph~ (06/19/08 02:06 PM)
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Jerry Moore
sage
Reged: 05/23/06
Posts: 311
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Hello:
I've been to this event (and helped organize it last year) for the past two years and plan on attending/assisting with it this year. It is beautiful and offers wonderful night sky views. I had first thought the light dome from Holloman AFB would interfer but was pleased to find out it that doesn't. This is a very limited star party (about 100-125 astronomers) are allowed to sleep over in the dunes due to the location area size and possible negative impact to the dune fields. So, if you are going, register early!!
Also, sorry to burst your bubble but no more F117As (Stealth fighters) here, they have been retired. The first of the F-22 Raptors will be based at Holloman starting in June.
Jerry
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DaemonGPF
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/22/08
Posts: 1457
Loc: New Mexico
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Quote:
Hello:
Also, sorry to burst your bubble but no more F117As (Stealth fighters) here, they have been retired. The first of the F-22 Raptors will be based at Holloman starting in June.
Jerry
Oops... looks like they did finally move them.. that's a bummer. They aren't retired though, just reassigned. But that's ok, Raptors are just as cool to photograph as an F117.
Just curious though, is the viewing area in that wide open flat at the end of the dune drive and do they allow you to station your vehicle nearby to serve as a power source or will power tanks be a necessity?
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-Josh
*Orion Starblast Imaging 150mm OTA
*Orion Starblast Imaging 114mm OTA
*Meade 50mm AR short tube OTA
*Meade DSI Pro IIc
*Orion Starshoot DSCI
*CG5 mount
http://cleardarksky.com/c/AlbuqNMkey.html
My Messier Project Gallery
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Jerry Moore
sage
Reged: 05/23/06
Posts: 311
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Hello,
Yes we use the flat area for both viewing and camping. It works well. If you are camping overnight than you can have your vehicle with you. We had many RV's and other vehicles at the site last year. You just have to keep your white lights off. Of course don't do what the gentleman next to me did. He used his car battery to run his camera and scope. And had to get a jump start the next morning.
I have a few pics of what it looked like last year. If I can find them, I will post it here.
Thanks,
Jerry
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Jerry Moore
sage
Reged: 05/23/06
Posts: 311
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Here is a widefield image.
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Jerry Moore
sage
Reged: 05/23/06
Posts: 311
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We had many different scopes on site.
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Jerry Moore
sage
Reged: 05/23/06
Posts: 311
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Here was my scope being setup.
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Jerry Moore
sage
Reged: 05/23/06
Posts: 311
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Rumor has it that they are going to open up another area of the dunes to allow additional astronomers to camp this year. I'll post more information as soon as I get it.
Jerry
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~Steph~
Texas Wildflower
Reged: 06/11/05
Posts: 21658
Loc: North Texas
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Does anyone know when it actually is this year? When I checked the AASP website last weekend when doing other updates to the master star party list, it hadn't been updated yet for 2008.
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Steph
10" RCX400 ~~ 4" TV102 ~~ WO ZS80FD ~~ PST
Serenity Observatory
HansenAstro | CN Member Websites
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Jerry Moore
sage
Reged: 05/23/06
Posts: 311
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We have a planning meeting on May 20th and I'll find out the WSSP date and let you all know.
Jerry
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~Steph~
Texas Wildflower
Reged: 06/11/05
Posts: 21658
Loc: North Texas
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Thanks, Jerry. 
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Steph
10" RCX400 ~~ 4" TV102 ~~ WO ZS80FD ~~ PST
Serenity Observatory
HansenAstro | CN Member Websites
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Jay_Bird
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/04/06
Posts: 680
Loc: Nevada 36N 115W
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2007 WSSP was a chance to meet a nice group, have kids play on dune sand (unexpected fun!) and go hike a few nice trails or boardwalks, camp at a unique national park where camping is not normally allowed, make a daytime visit to the extensive Alamogordo space museum (included with WSSP registration), sample local pistachios, and have 2 good observing mights under clear dark skies to boot. The public outreach portion of one night was well organized and a lot of fun, too. The dark skies and low southern horizon made for exploration of several southern galaxies I hadn't seen as well before. The summer/fall milky way was stunning and kids and I just scanned that for a couple of hours. Only a few, very low light domes were visible on the horizon. The 2-night duration might deter some, but they were 2 good nights and that length made it feasible for a family driving vacation. Approaches from the west can take you past the VLA (quite a sight), and the San Antonio Owl Cafe (green chile cheeseburger heaven).
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'these things stand like stone - kindness in another's troubles, courage in your own' Gordon
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Jerry Moore
sage
Reged: 05/23/06
Posts: 311
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Just found out this event underwent a name change (don't agree with it, it kinda alienated some local astronomers here) to the Hale-Bopp Star Party and it will be held on Sept. 26 & 27th at the White Sands National Monument.
This information broke on the first page of our local rag and put a shock out to our local astronomy community.
Jerry
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Jay_Bird
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/04/06
Posts: 680
Loc: Nevada 36N 115W
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Naming the party to honor Alan Hale isn't necessarily a bad thing, and neither is having the Alamogordo city council jump on the bandwagon.
http://www.lcsun-news.com/region/ci_9249586
However, scheduling it to overlap with Enchanted Skies Star Party (dates appear to be Sep. 24-27 2008?) may prove self-defeating to the council's intentions to popularize or expand the WS party. A few folks I spoke with at the party seemed to like WSSP as a smaller and shorter alternative, so maybe that's not a big issue. What kind of feedback did you get last year? Will local astronomers need to speak up to the council?
I haven't been to Enchanted Skies to compare, but White Sands & nearby Alamogordo did make a nice camping venue for a memorable family trip.
Please keep us posted as 2008 plans firm up.
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'these things stand like stone - kindness in another's troubles, courage in your own' Gordon
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Jerry Moore
sage
Reged: 05/23/06
Posts: 311
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Local astronomers WEREN'T even made aware of this meeting so we were blindsighted. I don't agree with this name change because Mr. Hale has done nothing but alienate our astronomy community. Believe me, this has been done to benefit Mr. Hale in some way and taken the focus away from Project Astro in which it was intended for. The new New Mexico Museum of Space History director made this decision without consulting any local astronomers and seems to think that all it takes to run these events is administrative work so other civic groups can help out if necessary.
I would think a star party must be hosted by people that know something about astronomy and possibly own telescopes to share. Maybe I'm wrong in thinking so??!!
Anyway, I will update when more info becomes available.
Jerry
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Jay_Bird
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/04/06
Posts: 680
Loc: Nevada 36N 115W
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That's not good. I hope you can keep WSSP as enjoyable as it was last year. I didn't mean to imply I knew anything about the local politics (glad I stuck that "necessarily" in the last post). I recall you were from the local astro club and you were really helpful for me planning our Friday evening arrival just in time for the orientation.
We had several smaller scopes and binoculars and each kid had an object to talk about from the public outreach list. Last year's WSSP public night was so much fun that it 'converted' my kids into enthusiastic outreach participants or junior hosts at more local events since WSSP 2007. I hope you can keep that same spirit for the event going forward.
Good luck!
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'these things stand like stone - kindness in another's troubles, courage in your own' Gordon
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Jay_Bird
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/04/06
Posts: 680
Loc: Nevada 36N 115W
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Well, I am hoping for the best as the family would like to return for 2008 WSSP. I see that links now show the Sep 26-27 dates but not updated schedule/registration.
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Jerry Moore
sage
Reged: 05/23/06
Posts: 311
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(knock on wood) The WSSP will be held on those dates (September 26 &27) this year and we are starting the planning of it full force. Next meeting is next week. I'll make sure they have an updated schedule and registration up ASAP. We hope to have a good turn-out even though this date conflicts with Enchanted Skies in Socorro.
Jerry
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~Steph~
Texas Wildflower
Reged: 06/11/05
Posts: 21658
Loc: North Texas
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So what happened to the name change, did it get revoked? I've been kinda waiting to update the star party list until I knew if things got changed or what...
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Steph
10" RCX400 ~~ 4" TV102 ~~ WO ZS80FD ~~ PST
Serenity Observatory
HansenAstro | CN Member Websites
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Jerry Moore
sage
Reged: 05/23/06
Posts: 311
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Yes, they've reached an agreement to keep the name of White Sands Star Party. The online registration or schedule still needs to be updated but we're meeting weekly to make this years event a huge success. I'll update as soon as online registration is available.
Jerry
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